“Precious Reprints” — The Chief Struggle

The Chief Struggle in the heart of man is ever betwixt Faith and Sight.

An eye was given him to see; and whatever is pleasing to the sight the eye pronounces good. His body was endowed with appetites, desires,

Instincts: whatever gratifies and pleases them the man naturally considers good. He has a mind capable of reasoning; and whatever seems most plausible and preferable to it, it judges best. Now if all these faculties were infallible-if there could be no illusions, if senses and mind could not mistake or be deceived, man would need no other guidance.

But experience and observation teach us daily our fallibility and incompetence of our senses. Within a very circumscribed sphere man’s faculties are trustworthy; but beyond it they are false guides. The voice of all peoples expressed the consciousness of their fallibility in such proverbs as: “All is not gold that glitters;” “Things are not always what they seem;” “It is human to err.” And every page of God’s word declares in some way that without a wisdom higher than that of the flesh, and a guidance truer than dwells in ourselves we are lost.

“Lean not upon thine own understanding,” says the great Book; and, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment;” and, again, “The way of man Is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” (Prov. 3: 5; John 7: 24; Jer. 10:23.)